Life After Limbo
by Fai7hl3ss
Summary: This is another short CT fic that I wrote in a little while. It takes place near the beginning of the game when Marle disappears. R/R


Life After Limbo  
  
  
  
I woke up slowly to find myself in a large, black void. I didn't really know where I was or how I got here, but all I knew that it was incredibly cold and amazingly quiet. The silence was unbearable, and I frantically stood up to get a good look of how this place was. Of course, there wasn't really much to look at, but none the less I started walking to an unknown destination that seemed to guide my feet more than my own mind. I was so strange that I could hear my footsteps echoing throughout the place, even though there seemed to be no ground and that was nothing for the noise to bounce off of.  
  
I slowly began to walk faster as if I was walking away from something that was chasing me; I knew that nothing WAS chasing me, but I couldn't resist but to walk a bit faster. Eventually, I started to hear feet walking behind me and I slowly began to sweat. I mean, here I was in a giant, dark room with someone or something chasing me down. I didn't know what it was and I wasn't planning to find out anytime soon either. I don't remember when I started to sprint, but I did, and the only thing pushing me forward was my own fear. The thing behind me started to run as well, and this scared me half to death.  
  
Where was Crono? I know I shouldn't be really caring about him at a moment like this, but he made me feel so safe, even if I knew him for under a day. He didn't talk much, but god, he was so sweet. He returned a small girl's kitty, and he offered to show me around the fair. I was surprised at first because I thought he would recognize me for being the princess, but either he didn't notice or he didn't care. He even returned my pendent, apologized for bumping into me, and refused to sell my pendent when that old black smith asked if Crono was willing to sell it. He was cute too, but I never really got to take a good look at his face while we were walking through the fair.  
  
I was still running and now my hair was damp and clinging to my face. The figure seemed to catch up because soon I could hear this thing running beside me quickly. It wasn't long before it grabbed me to a halt. I tried to let out a scream, but the thing clamped its hand over my mouth, ceasing all sound that tried to erupt from it. It pulled me close to it and leaned its mouth close to my ear. I couldn't help trembling a bit, and I let out a small whimper. Its touch was as cold as ice and it sent a shiver down my spine.  
  
"Don't run from me," it whispered softly. The voice sounded male and very soothing. His touch seemed to warm up a bit with every word. "You won't get anywhere if you run, Marle." I gasped slightly and tried to struggle, his hold was firm, and I couldn't even move my hands. "Why do you insist on trying to get away? It won't make a difference, not while you're in limbo." He took his hand off my lips and loosened up his grip slightly.  
  
"What do you mean limbo?" I questioned. I've heard the term before, but I've never grasped the true meaning of the word.  
  
"You are neither dead nor alive. You are in limbo, and you forever will be until your ancestor dies, or your friends patch up the hole in the quilt of time. You may wait here, but you cannot run, for there is no where to run to." I started to whine silently. I couldn't be dead, could I? No, I wasn't dead, but I wasn't alive either. The thought toyed with my mind and made me cry. I felt so hopeless and desperate. The figure gently wiped away my tears and tilted up my head to look at him. I couldn't see him though; I couldn't see anything in this black void. His touch was so gentle, and it reminded me of Crono. I would give anything to see him right now.  
  
"You'll see him soon," the figure stated. I was shocked that it had read my mind. "He's trying to get you back now. I can tell you miss him, and he misses you too. Destiny has chosen well. You two were made for each other, and your love shall bloom, I assure you that. It's strange that you two care so much for each other without even knowing the other for a full day. It truly amazes me. I shall be here in his stead until you are reunited with Crono." It was then that I finally saw him. He looked like Crono with blonde hair and a different color tunic, but he had the same warm smile and the glazed look in his green eyes. He slowly placed my head against his chest as I closed my eyes. I felt safe. I felt loved.  
  
~*-.-.-.-.-.--.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-*~  
  
"I don't know how to thank you," Queen Leene said politely as she looked at Lucca, Glenn, and myself. I nodded simply, and Lucca bowed. Glenn, however, knelt on one knee and bowed his head in shame.  
  
"I hath failed thee, my lady," he stated as he looked away to the side. He truly felt the he had failed the queen. Queen Leene looked at him strangely, as did the rest of us. No one knew why he felt that way because he had played a major role in getting the Queen back.  
  
"Nonsense!" declared the king. "You've done more help than you can imagine! Please, all of you feel free to stay as long as you wish. We would feel honored to have you all here."  
  
"Nay, thou should not waste such words on me. I must take my leave," Glenn said as he stood up and briskly left the room. Leene rose from her seat and looked after Glenn with cautious eyes. She looked sad and worried. I would have asked her if she was all right, but she quickly turned to me and asked a question that I had long forgotten.  
  
"Where is that one girl that everyone thought was me?" Marle! I had almost forgotten about her! Lucca tapped my should and pointed up the stairs.  
  
"Is that where she was last? Maybe that's where we'll find here again." Wordlessly, I nodded and ran up the stairs to the Queen's chamber with Lucca running right behind me. I truly hoped that she was all right. I can't even believe that I got the princess, of all people, mixed up in this mess! She had to be OK, or I wouldn't be able to set foot on Guardia soil ever again. I must have made a fool of myself when I bumped into her at the fair.  
  
She was damn beautiful too. She didn't even have to be a princess; she was just stunning. I can't think about that now; first I have to see if she's safe.   
  
I kept running up the several flights of stairs as I could hear Lucca panting because I was running so fast. I almost missed the sharp turn at the top, but I stumbled along and continued my mad dash down the hall to her room. The two big doors to the room where wide open, and I could feel a lot of magic tension coming from the area near the bed. Lucca collapsed on her knees trying to catch her breath as I looked at the center of the tension hoping, praying that Marle would appear.  
  
~*-.-.-.-.-.--.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-*~  
  
"Marle," he stated softly as I tilted my head up to look at him, "it's your time to go now. Crono needs you. That light over there will lead to him, understand?" I looked in the direction that he was pointing. For the first time, a light shined in this dim place and I rose to my feet without thinking. I turned around to see if he was still there, but he had already disappeared. I thought I would care more, but I didn't. I just wanted to return to Crono.  
  
I began to run toward the light, possibly faster than I had run before. My feet seemed to have wings attached to them and every step that I took I seemed to float a little bit off the ground. My crossbow beat against my back, but I just kept running toward that light, hoping that it would eventually lead me back to Crono.  
  
The light kept getting brighter as I got closer to it. When I finally got to it, the light seemed to swallow me whole as I ran into it. I didn't know what happened after that, but I looked up and I saw Crono's eyes staring into mine.  
  
~*-.-.-.-.-.--.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-*~  
  
Bright light flashed into the room, and Marle was tossed into my arms. I was thrown onto my back, but I made sure that she wasn't hurt in the process. My back ached from falling on the steps, but I lifted my head to look down at her. She was breathing heavily, yet she looked so angelic. I gently sat up and brushed a few loose strands of hair out of her face. Her hair was damp for some reason, and she was still wearing the shining green royal dress that she was wearing. Her emerald eyes fluttered open as I was looking at her flushed face.  
  
"Ah!" she exclaimed suddenly. I held onto her tightly still looking down into her sea green eyes. They were moist with tears, and she looked shocked. I cupped my hand on the side of her face and stroked her cheek with my thumb gently as she began to tremble slightly. She tried to speak, but her words were stammered and slurred together. Lucca walked closer to us, but I paid her no attention.  
  
"Oh my God," Marle muttered as she held onto me tightly. "It was so dark and lonely. Is that what it's like to die?" Tears spilled out of her eyes as she searched my face for an answer. I didn't know what she was talking about. Again, her body gave off a violent shake as she rested her head against my chest.  
  
"I knew you would come for me," she whispered softly. "Even though we barely know each other, I knew that you would come for me. Thank you, Crono." Her voice was so soft that I could barely hear it, but it was one of the loveliest things I have ever heard. She looked up at me and I thought that I was drowning in her stare.  
  
"Welcome back, Princess Nadia!" Lucca stated. Marle sat up quickly and looked at Lucca.  
  
"You went out to save me too? Wait, what did you call me?" Marle asked.  
  
"Princess Nadia."  
  
She pulled away from me and sat on her knees. "Well I guess you've figured out my secret, huh? I'm sorry, Crono, for lying to you at the fair but… you wouldn't have shown me around the fair if you knew the truth, right?" I shook my head no, and she plunged into my arms again, burying her face into my chest. "That's why I like you!" I wrapped my arms around her waist and rested my chin on top of her head.   
  
Marle closed her eyes and gently fell asleep in my arms. I stroked her back softly while she slept in my arms; I was too afraid to move because I didn't want her to wake. I just held the sleeping angel until dawn…  
  
  
(A/N: I know this one is a bit shorter than my other CT fic, but I decided to take a break from my CT novel that I'm writing by writing this quicky. I hope it doesn't suck too much ^^;;; Don't flame me too much if you hate it and plz leave reviews. I want to know how my writing is with all these little things that I do.) 


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